"Marco." His voice softens slightly. "I've known you for fifteen years. I know when you're compromised."
"I'm not?—"
"You stayed in her room. You're sitting here worrying about her instead of focusing on strategy. And the way you looked ather when you walked her down the hall..." He pauses. "That's not how you look at an assignment."
I run a hand through my hair. "It's complicated."
"It always is." He's quiet for a moment. "She's family, Marco. Rina's cousin. Bianca's daughter. That makes this even more complicated."
"I know."
"Do you have feelings for her?"
The direct question hangs in the air. I could deflect. Could downplay it.
But this is Vito. He'll see through any bullshit I try to feed him.
"Yes."
He sighs and leans forward, elbows on his desk. "Does she feel the same?"
"Yes."
"And you've acted on this?"
I meet his eyes. "Yes."
For a long moment, he doesn't speak. Just looks at me like he's trying to decide if I've lost my mind.
"I told you to keep it professional," he finally says.
"I know. I tried. But Elena—" I stop. Try to find the right words. "She's not like anyone I've ever met. She's brave and stubborn and infuriating. And she's been carrying this burden alone, trying to protect everyone. Trying to protect you and Rina even when she was terrified."
"That doesn't change the fact that you're supposed to be protecting her, not sleeping with her."
The bluntness makes me flinch, but he's not wrong.
"You're right," I admit. "I crossed a line. But I'm not walking away from her. Not now."
Vito studies me for another long moment. Then he sighs again. "We'll discuss this later. After we deal with the Costellosand Elio. Right now, I need you focused on keeping her alive and ending this threat. Can you do that?"
"Yes."
"Then do it." He stands, effectively dismissing me. "And Marco? If you hurt her—if this situation with the Costellos gets worse because you're distracted—we'll have a very different conversation."
"Understood."
I head back to Elena's room, frustration coiling in my gut. I don't want to leave her. Don't want to hand her protection over to anyone else, even Dante and Luca.
But Vito's right about one thing—I am compromised. And that makes me dangerous. Not just to myself, but to her.
When I slip back into the room, Elena is restless. Twitching. Shifting in the bed.
I settle back into the chair and watch her. The conversation with Vito plays on repeat in my mind.
I fucked up. I'm supposed to protect her and my selfishness almost got us killed. This is what happens when I want something for myself—my world erupts and shifts my focus back to my job. First and foremost, I'm Marco Conti, consigliere to Don Vito, protector of the entire Rosso organization. I'm not Marco Conti, the man who falls asleep watching movies. That Marco is vulnerable. And our enemies feed off small cracks in the foundation.
The attack at Elena's apartment was the Costellos sneaking through my cracks. Cracks I created because I was being selfish.
